Analysis: No deja vu at the Miller County Jail

Friday

Sep 28, 2007 at 12:01 AMSep 28, 2007 at 1:37 PM

Allegations of sexual antics involving employees and inmates in the Miller County Jail are nothing that hasn’t made headlines before, except this time around the current sheriff says it isn’t going to be tolerated while he’s in charge.

Joyce L. Miller

Allegations of sexual antics involving employees and inmates in the Miller County Jail are nothing that hasn’t made headlines before, except this time around the current sheriff says it isn’t going to be tolerated while he’s in charge.
The recent arrests of two Miller County jailers for allegedly having sex with inmates is not a preview of what is yet to come, according to Missouri Water Patrol investigators who stepped in at the request of Sheriff Bill Abbott to lead the questioning of inmates and employees of the department.
Abbott has made it clear he is not going to tolerate this type of behavior in his department.
Since the first arrest, Abbott has taken steps to ensure there are more surveillance cameras in the jail facility. He said the jail and sheriff’s department have between 10 and 12 surveillance cameras, and he is adding another six.
In both cases, the jailers allegedly met with the inmates in areas that were not under surveillance.
From all indications, the incidents that led to the arrest of the jailers were isolated, and after thoroughly following up all leads, the investigation has been concluded, Water Patrol Lt. Nick Humphrey said.
It appears there are significant differences between the two recent cases and the allegations of corruption, drugs and sex that rocked the Miller County Sheriff’s Department seven years ago and ended with a civil suit filed by Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon that ultimately removed former Sheriff Tom Russell from office.
The allegations against the former sheriff, employees and inmates led to an investigation that spanned 10 months, beginning in December 1998 when the judges of the 26th Judicial Circuit requested the Miller County Sheriff’s Department and Jail be investigated by the Missouri Highway Patrol, Water Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The probe turned up allegations of abuse, sexual misconduct, criminal activities and mismanagement of the Miller County Jail.
As a result, five former jailers, one inmate-jailer-trusty and a former deputy were charged with crimes by the Missouri Attorney General’s office.
Allegations of missing evidence, drug use, sexual escapades and a jail out of control were leveled against the department. A picture of disorder and lack of management unseated the sheriff and sent inmates back to jail and jailers to jail to do time for their crimes.
After those arrests in spring 1999, Russell was charged in a civil petition by the state for not upholding the responsibilities of his office.
Russell was elected to his first term as sheriff in 1996. By February 2000, Russell was out of a job and the sheriff’s department was restructured.
Abbott was elected in April of that year to replace the ousted sheriff.
This investigation, Humphrey said, turned up nothing that rises to that level. It has been the opposite, he said.
“Sheriff Abbott was clear from the time the allegations were brought to his attention, and throughout the investigation, that he wanted anyone suspected of having committed improprieties questioned, charged and prosecuted,” Humphrey said.
Abbott’s actions are to be commended, according to the colonel of the Water Patrol.
“Abbott’s complete cooperation was one of the keys in expediting this investigation,” Water Patrol Col. Rad Talburt said. “He was adamant in making sure any jail employees that had violated the law were brought to justice.”
Reporter Charis Patires contributed to this story.
Contact this reporter at joycem@lakesunleader.com.